How Farage encouraged Trump to criticise Theresa May during Brexit talks

The startling decline of two of the mainstays of British and American politics – the Conservatives and Joe Biden – has opened up the prospect of a new allyship between the UK and US.

But instead of the next prime minister forming bonds with the presidential candidate, insiders say it is Nigel Farage who will be the “natural ally” of Donald Trump.

The Reform UK leader and Trump have already worked in tandem to create issues for the British prime minister of the day.

One well-placed former diplomat told i that Farage “pumped up” Trump to criticise Theresa May during Brexit negotiations, with the then-president saying in 2018 that May “didn’t listen to me” on how to conduct the talks, including his idea to “sue the EU”.

A year later, Trump also remarked on “how badly” she handled the negotiations, warning it was “tearing a country apart”.

Farage went on to embarrass the then-PM by becoming the first global politician to meet Trump after his 2016 election win – in the gold lift at Trump Tower in New York – at a time when the UK Government was prioritising a US trade deal as the major prize of Brexit.

Now, amid a Tory collapse, Farage looks on course to finally become an MP at the eighth attempt, with a YouGov MRP poll putting him 20 points ahead of Rishi Sunak’s party in Clacton.

Meanwhile, Trump is narrowly ahead in several US polls looking ahead to November’s presidential election, a position bolstered by Biden’s shaky performance in the first head-to-head presidential debate in which he lost his train of thought, slurred his words and stared open-mouthed while waiting to speak.

It raises a prospect that will be cheered by populists both sides of the Atlantic – Trump in the White House at the same time Farage sits in the Commons.

Donald Trump and Nigel Farage at a campaign rally in Jackson, Mississippi, ahead of the 2016 presidential election (Photo: Jonathan Bachman/Getty)

It is a scenario that diplomats, former government insiders and foreign policy experts say could lead to the two outspoken politicians “feeding off each other”, potentially causing embarrassment or worse for the likely prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Paul Harrison, May’s former press secretary, said: “Working with President Trump as an international partner obviously posed some very significant and quite visible challenges to Theresa May when she was PM.”

But being second or third or even further down the line to meet Trump may prove beneficial to Sir Keir, given how many Labour MPs will be fiercely opposed to a presidency under the Republican, Harrison added.

“But we shouldn’t forget that what underpins this is a really serious national collaboration, particularly on security policy, that is fundamental to the safety and wellbeing of both countries.”

Labour’s leader will face “much more significant” challenges than May “because of the way that lots of Labour MPs will be disposed towards Trump”, added.

Farage in the Commons “probably” makes it even harder: “Farage has made a political career of being a nuisance-maker and Parliament will give him a new platform that he’s never had before, so it does add to the awkwardness for a new Labour administration.”

Mr Harrison raised the prospect of the Reform leader holding “back channel” discussions with Trump that could see the potential president hearing different messages from the UK than those approved by the Labour government.

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While high level diplomacy can only be conducted leader-to-leader, “if both Trump is elected and Farage gets into the Commons – Trump will see him as one of his most natural allies in the UK”.

“For whatever reason Trump and Farage do have a rapport, at the same time as Keir Starmer is maybe trying to establish one,” Harrison said.

When it comes to the issue of Russia, Tory former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind believes Trump will be more of a “problem” than Farage, as the Republican could upset Western unity on Ukraine, whereas the Reform leader is merely a “nuisance”.

However, Bronwen Maddox, director of Chatham House, suggested Farage could inspire Trump into a more hardline position on Ukraine.

She said populist figures such as Trump, Farage, and Marine Le Pen – whose party could be in government in France after its current parliamentary election – “feed off each other, they gain energy from each other.

“Will he inspire Trump to do wild things, particularly on Ukraine? Possibly. I don’t think [Trump] will but [he may think] here are some people in Europe that aren’t completely hostile to Putin.”

She said it was possible that Farage would reinforce Trump “but I don’t see him changing British policy”.